Moving Forward - The Official Podcast of Dream Team Des Moines – Details, episodes & analysis

We talk a lot on Dream Team about how over the course of the season, we become one big family.  And that affects how we care for each other, how we help each other and how we treat and support each other.   Our first two guests on today’s episode really are family. 

They are brothers.  Ryan just completed his first RAGBRAI and he tells us that his first season of Dream Team taught him that, “I can do a lot more that I thought I could and I can push myself a lot harder than I thought I could.”    And then we’re joined by Nolan who shares his very emotional story about how his RAGBRAI got cut a couple of days short.  You’ll quickly learn why all of us are so motivated and inspired by Nolan.     

Nolan tells us, “I thought I would never have so much care and so much love from Dream Team.  This is like a second family to me.”   “The second you walk through that door at the beginning of the season, you know exactly that this is going to be your new family.”   You’re going to enjoy getting to know Ryan and Nolan and understand why we’re so excited that both of the will be returning to the Dream Team family for another season in 2025.

 On this post-RAGBRAI episode, we feature first-year Dream Team members Michaela, Joe and Heaven and hear them tell us how they found the confidence and determination to accomplish a big-life goal:  Riding across the state of Iowa to complete their first RAGBRAI.    Fifteen-year-old Michaela tells us that she was terrified when she joined Dream Team.  But she quickly made a lot of friends on the team and then worked incredibly hard to improve every time we got together to train.    And then we’re joined by Joe, who at 13 is the youngest member of the Dream Team.  But Joe brought a lot of cycling experience to the team.  Everyone knows that Joe is fast.  But one of the things that sets him apart is his willingness and enthusiasm to help the team’s less experienced riders.  Finally, we talk with 16-year-old Heaven.  Heaven tells us that she believes that people sometimes doubt her and she talks about how that only helps motivate and propel her to work harder and become one of the strongest members of the team.    Each of these first-year members of the team share the emotions they were feeling as they rode the final mile of RAGBRAI to the Mississippi River.  You are going to enjoy hearing from Michaela, Joe and Heaven on this special, post-RAGBRAI episode.

On this episode of Moving Forward, we hear from Wyatt, a junior at Roosevelt High School. 

Wyatt did not miss a single training ride during his first two years on the team.   Scott talks with Wyatt about why he pushes himself so hard and about his goals and priorities for the 2024 season.

And we talk Jill Dykstra.  Jill leads the Des Moines Public Schools Dream to Teach program and she is starting her 10th year as a Dream Team Mentor.

We talk with Jill about why she has dedicated her life to teaching and mentoring  youth.  And Jill will give us an update on the Dream Team season.

Dream Team: ⁠⁠https://www.dreamteamdesmoines.org/⁠⁠ 

Bike World: ⁠⁠https://www.bikeworldiowa.com/⁠⁠ 

RAGBRAI: ⁠⁠https://ragbrai.com/

On Episode Five of Moving Forward, we introduce the Warner Brothers.

Devin is 18 and a senior at Des Moines East.  Today, Devin is one of the most outgoing and most-liked members of the team.  But when he joined the team three years ago, Devin was shy and introverted.  He shares with us how Dream Team, in his words, changed his life.

Devin’s brother, Tayvin is 16 years old and also a student at Des Moines East.  Tayvin shares with us how Dream Team brought him and Devin closer together.  And Tayvin talks with us about how he is already working towards his dream of being a pilot in the U.S. Marines.

We also welcome a special guest, Mark Pollock.  Mark traveled from his home in Oklahoma City to join the podcast and he tells us about his good friend and RAGBRAI buddy, Harlan Nagel.

Harlan was a farmer in southern Minnesota who passed away in 2022.  Mark and sone of his cycling friends decided to start an annual scholarship in Harlan’s name that benefits the Dream Team youth.

Dream Team: ⁠⁠https://www.dreamteamdesmoines.org/⁠⁠

Bike World: ⁠⁠https://www.bikeworldiowa.com/⁠⁠

RAGBRAI: ⁠⁠https://ragbrai.com/

On this episode of Moving forward, Shay talks with us about how the mental and physical benefits of cycling.  A junior at Dallas Center Grimes High School, Shay shares her goals for the 2024 season and beyond.

And we speak with Dream Team Mentor David Jameson.  David takes the lead in designing the routes the team used during our five-month training season and he’ll tell us about how the Dream Team’s training schedule has changed in 2024 to make sure the team is ready for the hilliest RAGBRAI in the ride’s 51-year history.

Dream Team: ⁠⁠https://www.dreamteamdesmoines.org/⁠⁠ Bike World: ⁠⁠https://www.bikeworldiowa.com/⁠⁠ RAGBRAI: ⁠⁠https://ragbrai.com/

On this episode of Moving forward, first-year team member Adriana talks with us about what motivated her to surprise her parents and decide to join Dream Team.  Adriana talks with us about her first month of training and about her goals for the 2024 season.   We also talk with first-year mentors Lizzie and Adam.  The couple rode their first RAGBRAI in 2023.  They’ll share how their interactions with the Dream Team during RAGBRAI’s 50th Anniversary ride inspired them to join the team as mentors. Dream Team: ⁠⁠https://www.dreamteamdesmoines.org/⁠⁠ Bike World: ⁠⁠https://www.bikeworldiowa.com/⁠⁠ RAGBRAI: ⁠⁠https://ragbrai.com/

On Episode Two of Moving Forward, Aaron tells us why he was reluctant to join Dream Team when his eighth grade guidance counselor first approached him about the team.  Now in his senior year at Dowling, Aaron is one of the hardest workers and one of the most competitive members of the team. He'll talk with him about how Dream Team has prepared him for other big life challenges.

We also get an update on the 2024 season from Dream Team mentor Randy Wahl.  Randy oversees bike maintenance for youth on this year’s team and he talks with us about how he and his team of volunteers keep the 47 youth rolling for all of our training rides.

Dream Team: ⁠https://www.dreamteamdesmoines.org/⁠

Bike World: ⁠https://www.bikeworldiowa.com/⁠

RAGBRAI: ⁠https://ragbrai.com/

On Moving Forward’s premier episode, Rachael tells us that she was “terrified” when she joined Dream Team two years ago, in part because she did not know how to ride a bicycle.  She will talk about how she overcame those fears and quickly became a leader on the team. 

We also get an update on the 2024 season from Executive Director Jeff Van Genderen and discuss some of the new initiatives the team is implementing to better support our youth.

Dream Team: https://www.dreamteamdesmoines.org/

Bike World: https://www.bikeworldiowa.com/

RAGBRAI: https://ragbrai.com/

Introduction to the Dream Team Moving Forward podcast

Featuring Corbin, Savannaha and Jeremiah   Episode Description: On a very special Inspiration Episode, we feature Corbin, Savannaha and Jeremiah.  You are going to enjoy getting to know each of them and understand why we asked them to join us for our special Inspiration Episode.  

Corbin is 15 and is days away from doing his second RAGBRAI with the Dream Team. Corbin is incredibly passionate about cycling and Dream Team.  Even though he is just 15, he’s emerged as one of the leaders of this year’s team.  He leads by example and he’s one of the kindest members of the team.

And then we talk with Savannaha. She’s 16, a student at Ankeny High School and this is her third year on Dream Team.  Savannaha has a big personality, and she is strong.  She powers through every challenge that life throws at her.  Savannaha talks about how after struggling at the beginning of the year, she rapidly improved over the past several weeks and excited about completing her second RAGBRAI.  Savannaha personifies the word inspiration.  

And then we’ll be joined by Jeremiah.  He’s 14 and will be a freshman next year at Bondurant High School.  Jeremiah’s start to the season was a little rocky.  He’ll tell us that he was prone to riding off the trail and crashing during his first month on the team.  But every time he took a spill, he picked himself up, dusted himself off and then has a big smile on his face.    He's got a great sense of humor and is just a lot of fun to be around.  And he’s also become a pretty skilled cyclist over the past five months.  You’re going to enjoy meeting Jeremiah and understand why we selected him to join us on “the inspiration episode.”